No new evidence produced, says MoD

THE fathers of two RAF pilots accused of gross negligence over the Chinook helicopter crash yesterday urged Prime Minister Tony Blair to take action after a House of Lords inquiry effectively cleared the men.

THE fathers of two RAF pilots accused of gross negligence over the Chinook helicopter crash yesterday urged Prime Minister Tony Blair to take action after a House of Lords inquiry effectively cleared the men.

John Cook, whose son Richard was one of the pilots blamed for the 1994 disaster which killed 29 people, hit out at what he called the "Ministry of Deceit" after defence officials said the inquiry had produced no new evidence.

Mike Tapper, father of the second pilot, Jonathan, said, "I think Tony Blair must consider carefully the position of those who continue to serve. In the event of this verdict not being quashed, their confidence has to be eroded."

Mr Cook and Mr Tapper spoke of their relief after a cross-party House of Lords committee said there was no justification for holding the two special forces pilots responsible for the crash nearly eight years ago.

Both Downing Street and the Ministry of Defence have said they need more time to consider the findings of the report but that no new evidence has been brought forward.

Mr Cook said the Ministry of De-fence had "played all sorts of dirty tricks on us over the years".

But MoD officials said the inquiry had produced no new evidence and that two air marshals had come to the conclusion of gross negligence after looking at the pilots' airmanship and duty of care.

The air marshals, Sir William Wratten and Sir John Day, were right to conclude that the pilots should not have taken the route over a steep hill on the Mull of Kintyre because of poor visibility and bad weather, MoD sources said.

One added, "We have looked at this for eight years, and it is really down to how people look at the evidence, depending on their point of view."